c-myc amplification coexistent with activating N-ras point mutation in the biphenotypic leukemic cell line RED-3.

While activation of the protooncogene c-N-ras is observed regularly in acute myelogenous leukemia, amplification of c-myc in AML cells or derived lines is uncommon. In particular, concurrent ras/myc activation, which has been shown to be critical in several elegant models of malignancy, has been demonstrated in a very small number of human tumors or derivative cell lines. A cell line, RED-3, is described which was derived from cells of a patient with aggressive acute leukemia which exhibits many markers of lineage infidelity. DNA from this cell line contains an activating point mutation of c-N-ras as well as 20-30-fold amplification of c-myc. After HL-60, this is the second example of ras/myc activation in AML derived cells and demonstrates that this lesion is not unique to HL-60. Rather, it may be important in leukemogenesis in a small proportion of AML patients.